EFour people in England, back in 1953, stared at photo 51. it wasn’t much –a picture showi

E

FourpeopleinEngland,backin1953,staredatphoto51.itwasn’tmuch–apictureshowingablackX.ButthreeofthesepeoplewontheNobelPrizeforfiguringoutwhatthephotoreallyshowed—theshapeofDNA.ThediscoverybroughtfameandfortunetoscientistsJamesWatson,Franciscrick,andMauriceWilkins.Thefourth,theonewhoactuallymadethepicture,wasleftout.

HernamewasRosalindFranklin.“Sheshouldhavebeenupthere,”sayshistorianMaryBowden.“Ifherphotohadn’tbeenthere,theotherscouldn’thavecomeupwiththestr ucture.”onereasonFranklinwasmissingwasthatshehaddiedofcancerfouryearsbeforetheNobeldecision.ButnowscholardoubtthatFranklinwasnotonlyrobbedofherlifebydiseasebutr obbedofcreditbyhercompetitions.

AtCambridgeUniversityinthe1950s,WatsonandCricktr iedtomakemodelsbycuttingupshapesofDNA’spartsandthenputtingthemtogether.Inthemeantime,atking’scollegeinLondon,FranklinandWilkinsshoneX-raysatthemolecule(分子).Theraysproducedpatternsreflectingtheshape.

ButWilkinsandFranklin’srelationshipwasalotr ockierthanthecelebratedteamworkofWatsonandCrick.WilkinsthoughtFranklinwashiredtobehisassistant.ButthecollegeactuallyemployedhertotakeovertheDNAproject.

WhatshedidwasproduceX-raypicturesthattoldWatsonandCrickthatoneoftheirearlymodelswasinsideout.Andshewasnotshyaboutsayingso.ThatangeredWatson,whoattackedherinreturn,”Mereinspectionsuggestedthatshewouldnoteasilybend.Clearlyshehadtogoorbeputinherplace.

AsFranklin’scompetitors,Wilkins,WatsonandCrickhadmuchtogainbycuttingheroutofthelittlegroupofresearchers,sayshistorianPninaAbir-Am.In1962attheNobelPrizeawardingceremony,Wilkinsthanked13colleaguesbynamebeforehementionedFranklin.Watsonwrotehisbooklaughingather.Crickwrotein1974that“Franklinswasonlytwostepsawayfromthesolution.”

No,Franklinwasthesolution.”Shecontr ibutedmorethananyotherplayertosolvingthestr uctureofDNA.Shemustbeconsideredaco-discoverer,”Abir-Amsays.ThiswasbackedupbyAaronKlug,whoworkedwithFranklinandlaterwonaNobelPrizehimself.oncedescribedasthe“DarkLadyofDNA”,Franklinisfinallycomingintothelight.

57.Whatisthetextmainlyabout?

A.ThedisagreementsamongDNAresearchers.

B.Theunfairtr eatmentofFranklin.

C.TheprocessofdiscoveringDNA.

DTheracebetweentwoteamsofscientists.